hopkins



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

7G. M. HOPKINS.

GAS ENGINE.

' ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 3 sheets -shret G. M. HOPKINS.

, GAS ENGINE.

110 284555. Patented Sept. 4, 188-3.

V ATTORNEYS.

u rnens. mwumwupmr. waning o, c.

M HOPKINS.

I GASBNG-INE. No. 284,555 Patented Sept. 4, 1883.

(No Model.) 3 Shets-Sheet 3.

W TNESSES:

: ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Plmlwllllmgmplvur. Wnslnngmu. D. c.

UNITE STATES enonen M. HOPKINS,

PATENT OFFICE.

or BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE nooNoMIc MOTOR. COMPANY, on E YORK, N. Y.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No, 284,555, dated September4, 1883,

' Application filed February 17, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, GEORGE M. HOPKINS,

of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Gas-Engines; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspeci'fiation, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of myimprovedgas-engine. Fig. 2isaplan view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionof the cylinder and piston, taken through the center ofthe igniter. Fig.4: is a vertical section of the slide-valve and air-check valve. Fig. 5is avertical longitudinal section of the gas-regulating valve andgas-check valve. Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical'section of the igniter.Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the air pump and governor.

My invention relates to the class of gas-engines in which an explosivemixture of combustible gas and common air are drawn into the cylinderduring the early part of the stroke of the piston and subsequentlyexploded, the expansion of the gases propelling the piston through theremainder of the stroke; and the invention consists, first, in anair-pump driven by the engine and serving the double purpose of agovernor to the gas-supply of the engine,

and of supplyingthe igniter blow-pipe with air; second, in a slide-valveformed of two independently-adj ustable pistons admitting of regulatingthe admission of gas and the exhaust of the products of combustionindependently of each other; third, in avalve-motion which insures aquick opening and closing of the gas and air supply, while allowing themto remain wide open during theperiod of supply and the period ofexhaust; fourth, ina

regulator for the air-check valve, by means of which the lift of thevalve may be regulated from the outside of the valve without thenecessity of opening it for the purpose; fifth, in

the combination of a check-valve with the gas and air supply forpreventing the heat resulting from the explosion in the cylinder fromheating the gas and air check valves.

Referring to the drawings, in which the same letters are used todesignatethe same parts in the different figures, the frame A is castintegral with the base-plate B and cylinder 0, and has an arm, D, inwhich is journaled the bearing E of the lever F, the latter extendingfrom its bearing to a point over the center of the cylinder, where it ispivoted to a 5 5 connecting-rod, a, the lower end of which 1s attachedby a pivotal joint, b, to; the pistonG in the cylinder 0. At a pointabout one-third of the length of the lever F fromthe free end of thesame a connecting-rod, c, is jointed to the said lever, and extendsdownward, receiving in its lower end the pin h of the crank H 011 themain shaft I of the engine. The shaft Iis journaled in aboss, (I, castwith the frame A and carries the fly-wheel J.

In front of the path of the crank H there is an arm, 6, secured to theframe A, and having in its upper end the bearing of a short shaft, f,whose axis is eccentric to that of the main shaft I, being below and atone side thereof.

To the inner end of the shaft f is secured an arm, 9, which is shorterthan the crank H,

and is connected with the outer end of the pin h of the said crank bymeans of the link e. The outer endof the shaft f carries a crank j,which is connected by a rod, is, with the valve-rod Z. The two parts, ann, of the valve K are threaded internally, and the valve-rod Zisthreaded externally, so that the position of the parts m n of the valvemaybe changed on the valve-rod by turning them in one direetion or theother, so as to vary their adjustmentin relation to the gas-supply port0, airsupply port 1), and exhaust-portq in the valvecylinder L. Thevalve-cylinder L communicates, by a tubular connection, 1-, with theconcave bottom M of the cylinder C, and attached to one side of thevalve-cylinder, and communicating therewith through the air-port 12.There isan air-check valve, N, having a casing, to which is secured aplate, t, provided with a circular row of holes, a, covered by aflexible valve, 0, held in its place on the inner surface of the plate tby a tubular internally threaded screw, w, which passes centrallythrough the valve and the plate. A screw, :10, passing through thetubular screw 10, carries on its inner end a concave metallic disk, y,whose periphery is about opposite the row of :00 holes a. The saidconcave disk can be moved by means of the screw :1; toward or away frompumice-stone,

. less.

, the valve 22, so as to limit the lift of the valve,

and in this way regulate the air-supply.

The concave bottom M of the cylinder 0 is filled with snarlsof wire, orwith broken or other incombustible granular 'or fibrous material,whichserves to intimately mix the gas and air on their passage to the' bodyof the cylinder 0, and this material is held in place by a perforateddisk, z, secured to the upper surface of the concave bottom.

The gas-supply port o communicates with the gas-check valve 0 throughthe pipe a, and the check-valve O is connected with a regulating-valve,P, which in turn is connected with the gas-bag Q by means of thesoft-rubber tube R. The gas-check valve 0 is of the ordinary well -knowndescription, and the regulating-valve P differs from the ordinarywell-known globe-valve only in having a more conical valve. andvalve-seat. The rubber tube R, which connects the valve 1? and thegas-bag Q, passes through a rectangular frame I), secured to the base ofthe engine, and having in the lower side an adjusting-screw,c, carryingon its inner end a plate, d, upon which the rubber tube It rests.

' Directly above the frame I) there is an airpump, T, attached to theframe A, and provided with a piston, 6', connected with the short arm fof the lever F by means of the rod g. The piston c has a valve, h,opening downward and covering a series of air-holes passing verticallythrough the piston. The cylinder of the air-pump is divided by ahoricontaining the piston e and the compartment k, forming anair-reservoir for receiving the air forced by the downward stroke of thepiston through holes in the horizontal partition 13. A valve, 1,covering these holes, prevents the air from returning to thepump-barrel. The piston c is reciproeated by the lever F, and each timethe piston rises, the air, passing through its valve, enters thecompartment j, whence it is forced, by the downward stroke of thepiston, into the air-reservoir 7c. The bottom of the air-reservoirconsists of a flexible diaphragm, m, clamped by its edges betweencollars a, secured to the lower end of the pump-barrel. A rod, 0,secured to the center of the diaphragm m extends downward through thetopof the frame b, and is provided with a plate, touching the top of therubber gas-tube R.

In the side of the reservoir k there is an airoutlet tube, q, having inits outer end a screwvalve, 1, by which it may be closed more or In thesides of the air-outlet tube q, outside of the seat of the valve 1',there is an opening, 8, communicating directly with the external air,and a tube, t, communicating with the air-tube q, between the seat ofthe valve 1' and the air-reservoir 70, leads to a compound blow-pipe, U,placed axially in line 65 with the center of the igniter V. The blowpipeis of the ordinary well-known form, and .receives' its gas through thetube a.

zontal partition, 5, into the compartment j, p

The igniter consists of a plate, '0, of platinum, having its edgesturned outward and clamped between the conical ring w and the conicalseat in the plate a, aheat-insulating medium, g/-such as asbestus-beinginterposed between the platinum and its support to prevent the heat frombeing conducted away by the metal part of the support. The plate a isslotted to receive two screws, which clamp it to the side of thecylinder, and the conical support of the oblong slot in the side of thecylinder. This igniter can be adjusted vertically within prescribedlimits, so as ignition of the gas relative to the stroke of the pistonG. Gas is supplied to the gas-bag Q, through the flexible tube a,extending along the upper side of the bracket W, attached to the edgeofthe frame A and supporting the upper end of the gas-bag. Upon thebracket W is mounted a small centrifugal ball-governor, A, consisting ofa sleeve, b, inclosing the rod 0 and journaled in the arm 11 of thebracket "W, the weighted arms 6 jointed to the top of the sleeve 1)",and the sleeve f 2 connected with the weighted arms 6 by links g andwith the rod 0 by a transverse pin passing through a slot in the sleevef into the said rod 0 The lower end of the rod 0 carries a fork, h,which embraces the tube a, and the bracket W loosely and is capable ofbeing moved up and down by the governor.

The governor A is driven by a belt from a small pulley on the "mainshaft of the engine, and when in motion it supports the fork h out ofcontact with the flexible tube a,- but whenever the engine stops fromany cause the balls drop, forcing downward the parts connectedtherewith, including the fork 7?, and the latter compresses the flexibletube a shutting off the gas.

. The operation of my improved gas-engine is as follows: On turning thewheel J the balls of the governor A are raised byeentrifugal force,carrying with them the fork h permitting the flexible tube a" to openand allow gas to enter the bag Q. The gas at the blow-pipe U having beenpreviously lighted, the airblast caused by the operation of the air-pumpT forces a strong flame against the platinum plate 12, rendering itincandescent. The slidevalve K, being in position to close theexhaustport q and to uncover the ports 0 and 1), gas and air are drawnin through these respective valves 0 and N in the proper proportions andfollow the piston G in its upward movement, having been thoroughly mixedin passing through the contents of the concave cylinderbottom M. Whenthe piston passes above the incandescent platinum plate 1), the mixtureof gas and air coming into contact with the platinum becomes ignited andexplodes, driving the piston G to the upper end of the cylinder. Themovement of the valve K and the piston G are so timed relative to eachother that as the piston passes the igniter V, the gas-port 0 platinumplate '0' projects into an to vary the time of the will be closed. Theairport 1) is allowed to remain open until after the explosion, to admitair in case of the formation of a vacuum after the explosion, and beforethe exhaust-port q 5 is opened. The air-port p closes before the pistonG reaches the limit of its upward stroke, and the exhaust-port q isopened at the beginning of the downward stroke of the piston and remainsopen until the end of the stroke,"when it closes. After the engine isstarted by a few turns of the fly-wheel, the gas and air is drawn in,the explosion takes place, and the products of combustion are expelledat every revolu tion of the engine, the operation of the engine beingentirely automatic. Should an increase in speed occur, the extra amountof pressure of air upon the diaphragm m will force the plate 1; downwardand shut off more or less of the supply of gas, and thus regulate thespeed of the engine. Should the engine stop from any cause, the gas willbe shut off by the governor A preventing any escape of gas from theengine or its connections.

The cylinder 0 is *cast with the frame A to secure the radiating surfaceof the frame to assist in carrying off the heat generated in thecylinder. The cylinder is also provided with the ordinary well-knownheat-dispelling de vice consisting of a series of radial ribs, P, whichreceives the heat from the cylinder by conduction and convey it to thesurrounding air.

. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire toSecure by Letters Patent.

1. In a gas-engine, the combination, with a gas-supply pipe and anigniter blow-pipe, of a pump, serving thedouble purpose of agovernor tothe gas-supply and means for supplying air to the blow-pipe,substantially as 40 herein shown and described.

2. In a gas-engine, the combination, with the pump T and blow-pipe U, ofthe igniter V, secured in the side of the cylinder, and the piston G,serving as a guard to prevent ignition until it has passed above saidigniter, substan- 5 tially as herein shown and described.

3. In a gas-engine, the air-pump T, having the reservoir k, and flexiblediaphragm m, in combination with theflexible gas-supply tube R, as shownand descri ed.- 5o

4. In a gas-engine, the combination of the flexible air-presseddiaphragm m, flexible gassupply tube R, and adjusting-screw c', asspecified. I

5. In a gas-engine constructed as herein described, the air-pump T,having the diaphragm m and regulating-valve 1", the gas-supply pipe 3,and blow-pipe U in combination, as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a gas-engine, the piston slide-valve K, made in two parts, m n,mounted adjustably on the valve-rod Z, as herein specified.

7. In a gas-engine, the shaft f, carrying the crank-arms j g, andjournaled eccentrically in relation to the main shaft 1, the link 'i,and crank H, in combination for operating the valve K, as hereinspecified.

8. The combination of the disk y and adjusting-screw a: with theair-check valve 12, as herein specified. I I

9. In a gas-engine, the concave cylinderbottom M, filled with granularor fibrous noncombustiblematerial, and provided with the perforatedplatez, as shown and described.

GEO. M. HoPKINs.

Witnesses:

0. SEDGWIOK, B. G. UNDERWOOD.

